responsible
Americanadjective
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answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management (often followed by to orfor ).
He is responsible to the president for his decisions.
- Synonyms:
- liable
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involving accountability or responsibility, as in having the power to control or manage.
promoted to a responsible position in the firm.
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chargeable with being the author, cause, or occasion of something (usually followed byfor ).
Termites were responsible for the damage.
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having a capacity for moral decisions and therefore accountable; capable of rational thought or action.
The defendant is not responsible for his actions.
- Synonyms:
- competent
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able to discharge obligations or pay debts.
- Synonyms:
- solvent
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reliable or dependable, as in meeting debts, conducting business dealings, etc.
- Synonyms:
- trustworthy, reliable, capable, honest
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(of a government, member of a government, government agency, or the like) answerable to or serving at the discretion of an elected legislature or the electorate.
adjective
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having control or authority (over)
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being accountable for one's actions and decisions (to)
to be responsible to one's commanding officer
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(of a position, duty, etc) involving decision and accountability
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(often foll by for) being the agent or cause (of some action)
to be responsible for a mistake
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able to take rational decisions without supervision; accountable for one's own actions
a responsible adult
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able to meet financial obligations; of sound credit
Other Word Forms
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interresponsibleadjective
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nonresponsibleadjective
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nonresponsiblenessnoun
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nonresponsiblyadverb
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preresponsibleadjective
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quasi-responsibleadjective
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quasi-responsiblyadverb
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responsiblenessnoun
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responsiblyadverb
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superresponsibleadjective
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superresponsiblenessnoun
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superresponsiblyadverb
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unresponsibleadjective
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unresponsiblenessnoun
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unresponsiblyadverb
Etymology
Origin of responsible
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin respōns(us) ( see response ( def. )) + -ible ( def. )
Explanation
If you're the responsible one, everyone is depending on you to take care of it. And, if things go poorly, it's all your fault. Sounds like a drag to be responsible but really it is what we all want out of life. After all, when you're responsible, you get the keys to the car, you make your own decisions, and you get all the credit. Parents love the responsible babysitter who doesn't text with her friends and feed the kids bowls of ice cream. Of course, the boy who is responsible for bringing firecrackers to the football game will not be looked upon with the same level of respect. Responsibility can bring all the glory, but all the blame too.
Vocabulary lists containing responsible
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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NAEP Test Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the latest outbreak.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
She has been speaking about her son's recovery and is now campaigning for more responsible dog ownership, as new figures suggest a rise in dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
When Adam’s tree fell into Brian’s yard during a storm, therefore, Brian would indeed be responsible for cleaning up his portion and filing a claim with his own homeowner’s insurance for any covered damage.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
The ICE agent, Brian Palacios, was first identified by The Times in January as being responsible for the killing based off court filings in a custody dispute.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Let me remind you that Major Puff was a puffin whose ancestors were responsible for winning half a dozen wars, not to mention twenty-eighty significant battles and countless skirmishes of varied importance.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
